Attachment for shirt finishing unit



y 1960 D. F. KENNEDY 2,946,492

ATTACHMENT FOR SHIRT FINISHING UNIT Filed Feb. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l De/w'n 1? Kennedy 1N VENTORv M4052. BY ym, 115m IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII u-- r y 26, 1960 D. P. KENNEDY 2,946,492

AT'I'ACHMENT FOR SHIRT FINISHING UNIT Filed Feb. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY waoifiim WWW United States Patent ATTACHMENT FOR SHIRT FINISHING UNIT Delvin P. Kennedy, P.O. Box 246, Pikeville, Tenn. Filed Feb. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 792,569

4 Claims. (Cl. 223- 68) The present invention generally relates to an attachment for a shirt finishing unit and more particularly to such an attachment that will enable the shirt finishing unit to be used on so-called Ivy League buttondown collars as well as strap and buckle collars and also on plain shirt collars. V

In shirt collar constructions such as the Ivy League buttondown and strap and buckle collars, there is a tendency for the shirt finishing machine to countersink the back button or buckle on the collars to such an extent that the impression is carried through the lining to the inner side of the center back collar which is highly undesirable since it provides a roughness or projection on the center back collar which will chafe the neck of the wearer and otherwise cause discomfort. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an attachment for a shirt finishing unit which will overcome these objections and which incorporates in its construction a clamp for engaging the back collar having a resilient clamping surface thus eliminating the tendency of countersinking of the back button or buckle. The clamp is mounted on an arm or stave attached to a portion of the unit and operatively connected to the front clamp lever whereby operation of the front clamp lever will also operate the clamp. The clamp and the construction forming the attachment is arranged so that it will not interfere with the normal inflation of the steam bag on the standard machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for a shirt finishing machine which is simple in construction, easy to use, easy to attach and detach in relation to the shirt finishing machine and generally inexpensive to manufacture and operate.

Another important feature of the present invention is to provide an attachment for a shirt finishing unit which is operately simultaneously with the usual manual operation of the front clamp lever and which requires very little additional effort to operate.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the attachment of the present invention illustrating certain portions of the shirt finishing unit to which the same is attached;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the attachment;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the lower portion of the attachment;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating the details of construction of the operating mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 5-5 of Figure 2 illustrating the construction of the clamp mechanism.

Referring now specifimlly to the drawings, the numeral 'tically disposed Fee 10 generally designates the attachment of the present invention for mounting on and use in combination with a shirt finishing unit generally designated by the numeral 12. The shirt finishing unit 12 is of conventional construction and is known in the industry as the Paris shirt finishing unit which basically includes an annular ring 14, an inflatable steam bag 16 together with a collar former at the upper end thereof with the collar former including a back face 18 for engagement with the inner side of the center back collar. On the front of the ring 14, there is mounted a front clamp lever 20 having a bandle 22 connected thereto along with a spring 24 and turnbuckle 26 for biasing the lever 20. There is also provided a clamping member 28 extending inwardly from the lever 20.

The attachment 10 of the present invention includes an upstanding supporting bar 30 which is rigid with the annular member 14 in generallydiametric opposed position in relation to the lever 20. The support bar 30 is braced by a telescopically adjustable brace 32 which is anchored to lugs.34 on the ring 14. A semi-oval telescopic actuating arm or rod 36 is disposed generally horizontally and is pivotally attached to a sleeve 38 carried by the lever 20 whereby pivotal movement of the lever 20 will cause corresponding movement of the arm 36.

An elongated curved rod 40 is telescopically carried by a support member 42. The upper end of the rod 40 is provided with an adapter 44 pivotally attached to a pair of lugs 46 by virtue of a bolt '48. The lugs 46 are rigid with a backing plate 50 having a resilient pad 52 attached thereto. The pad 52 is provided with a backing plate 54 having a pair of fastener bolts 56 extending therefrom for anchoring the pad detachably to the plate 50. The resilient pad 52 is movable so that it will contact the back face 18 and will engage the collar in opposition to the back face 18 and due to the resiliency of the pad 52, the center back button or buckle will not be countersunk into the inner surface of the center back collar.

The member 42 is pivotally supported from the upstanding support 30 by a pin 58 and is limited in its movement in one direction by a stop screw 60 carried by lug 61 and is limited in its other direction by a stop screw 62 carried by L-shaped brackets 64. The lower end of the member 42 tapers into a thin plate as indicated by 66 and is received between the legs 68 of a .U-shaped member 70. Each leg 68 is provided with an adjustable stop screw 72 for engaging opposite surfaces of the plate end 66. The U-shaped member 70 is carried by a verplate or strap 74 hingedly supported on pivot pin 76. The strap 74 is also provided with an offset bracket 78 pivotally receiving one end of an operating arm 36 whereby movement of the arm 36 will cause pivotal movement of the strap 74 and thus cause pivotal movement of the member 42=and arcuate swinging movement of the pad 52.

The pin 76 is provided with a sleeve 80 having an upstanding lug 82 connected thereto with the lug 82 having a turnbuckle 84 connected therewi The turnbuckle 84 is connected to one end of a tension coil spring 86 with the other end thereof being connected with a lug 88 on a sleeve 90 carried by pin 92. The sleeve 80 is rigid with the strap 74 whereby pivotal movement of the strap 74 will tension the spring 86 thus biasing the pad 52 away from the back face of the collar former.

In operation, as the lever 20 is moved inwardly, the arm 36 will cause outward swinging movement of strap 74 and U-shaped element 70. This causes outward swinging movement of the flattened end 66 of the member 42 and corresponding inward arcuate movement of the clamping pad 52, for clamping engagement with the collar in the usual manner. Upon release of the front clamping lever 20, the clamping lever 40 will also be released with the spring 86 urging the same to a retracted position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. 1

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An attachment for a shirt finishing unit having a collar former for receiving a shirt collar, a pivotal front clamp lever and a ring-like base supporting said front clamp lever, said attachment comprising an upstanding support member rigid with the ring-like base in diametric opposition to the front clamp lever, a rear clamp lever pivotallyattached to said upstanding support member, a resilient pad on said rear clamp lever for clamping engagement with a shirt collar placed on the back face of the collar former, and means interconnecting the front clamp lever and the rear clamp lever for moving the rear clamp lever in response to pivotal movement of the front clamp lever.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means includes a semi-ovular arm pivotally connected to the front clamp lever, a pivotal bracket connected to the other end of said arm, said bracket including a U-shaped member with the legs thereof disposed alongside of opposite sides of the rear clamp lever for engaging and moving the rear clamp lever when the front clamp lever is moved.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said rear clamp lever is spring biased to a retracted position with the resilient pad preventing countersinking of the center button or buckle on a shirt collar.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said rear clamp lever is longitudinally adjustable, and means on the upstanding support member for adjustably limiting the swinging movement of the rear clamp lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,311,042 Ferguson Feb. 16, 1943 2,412,172 Pettit Dec. 3, 1946 2,521,374 Johnson Sept. 5, 195() 2,736,472 Jackson Feb. 28, 1956 2,872,718 Jackson et al Feb. 10, 1959 

